Lola didn't see an attack, but her instincts, honed over years of life-or-death contracts, screamed at her to move. She threw herself to the side, landing in a crouch as the ground behind her erupted.
A deep, ten-foot-long trench was gouged into the ground, a clean slice as if an invisible giant had swung a massive blade. Dust and pebbles sprayed outwards.
Lola stared at the fresh scar in the road, her heart giving a hard thump against her ribs.
'What the hell was that?'
She looked back at Nox. The vibe around him was heavy now, a palpable weight in the air. He stood there, the dark scar on his chest pulsing faintly, and then he was gone. There was no blur, no shadowy flicker. One moment he was twenty feet away, his sword held loosely. The next, he was directly in front of her, his blade raised high, coming down in a brutal, one-handed chop meant to split her in two.
